


Oil and Water

by xBlackxRosexRebellionx



Series: A Day in the Life of Laney Mathers [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Grease Monkey Kink, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-19 02:47:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22903933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xBlackxRosexRebellionx/pseuds/xBlackxRosexRebellionx
Summary: Elena Mathers and Don Connally are like oil and water, so very different. Some would even say that it's impossible to mix the two. And yet, Don has been stealing glimpses at Marco Mathers' youngest daughter for that past nine months while he's been training at the gym. She's everywhere. She's at the gym where he trains, at the bar where he works, hell he even bumps into her at the grocery store! He just can't seem to escape her. She's all he's ever wanted. There's just one little problem... She's already fucking the man that her father hired to do all of the repair work on her house.It's no secret that Laney's father and her brother are trying to set her up with one of the fighters that train there at the gym. They've been trying for MONTHS now. The only problem is that Laney has a very strict "no dating fighters" policy. She works with them, training them at her father's gym. She's grown up with them - her father is a retired former champion MMA fighter and two of her brothers are fighters. She knows all about the life of a fighter, and she wants NO part of dating a man who earns his living getting the shit beat out of him. And then Don Connally stands up for her at her father's gym, and everything changes...
Relationships: Laney Mathers/Don Connally, Original Male Character/Original Female Character
Series: A Day in the Life of Laney Mathers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616443
Kudos: 2





	Oil and Water

**Author's Note:**

> This is another one-shot about Laney Mathers and one of her lovers. I fully intend to write more drabbles about Laney and Wick or Laney and Don. In fact, there will be a whole series of one-shots dedicated to these three characters. I will also be writing one at some point in the future about Laney's brother, Jax, and one of her best friends. I've already gathered ideas for another one-shot that will be centered around Laney and Don, so it's definitely safe to say that I'm nowhere NEAR done with these characters yet.

**_Oil and Water_ **

Don Connally was just walking through the door of the mixed martial arts gym where he trained when Marco Mathers walked past him, heading out the door. Don’s head swiveled, his brows knitting in confusion as he watched the owner of the gym leave. Once he was out the door, Don’s blue eyes scanned the gym, finding Jax, one of Marco’s sons, standing behind the counter. Apparently Jax, who not only trained there as a fighter himself but also helped his father train some of the other fighters there at the gym, had been left in charge while his father was out.

“Where’s he going?” Don questioned, jerking his head towards the door that the former MMA middleweight champion and current gym owner and trainer had just disappeared through.

“To pick up Laney,” Jax answered.

Don’s brows furrowed further upon hearing that news and his eyes scanned the gym once more, noticing the absence of Marco’s youngest daughter now as well. How had he missed that?

“What’s the matter? Is she okay?” Don inquired.

Jax just laughed, shaking his head, and assured him, “Calm down, Sparky. She’s fine. Her car wouldn’t start this morning, so she called dad up to see if he could give her a lift.”

“Did she say what was wrong with her car?” Don asked.

“Something about smoke rolling out from under the hood of the car this morning when she tried to start it and she noticed that it was leaking oil a couple days ago,” Jax replied, “Dad asked if I could take a look at it, but the earliest I’ll be able to get the chance is Saturday.”

Don’s brows furrowed at that. That wouldn’t do. Laney needed a dependable vehicle to drive. And it just so happened that Don knew a thing or two about mechanics. It was one of the few things he’d actually learned from his old man.

“I could take a look at it,” Don offered.

“Oh?” Jax prompted, “You know about cars all of a sudden now?”

Don scoffed at that, retorting, “I know enough to fix them when shit needs fixing.”

Jax laughed at that, shaking his head, and told him, “I think we’d better let Wick handle this one if she’s in a hurry to get it fixed. He’s a damn good handy man. But, if she thinks it can wait, I can take a look at it myself on Saturday.”

Don bristled at that, his spine stiffening and his jaw clenching as he made the conscious effort to keep himself from letting his hands ball into fists at his sides at the mere _mention_ of Wick’s name.

All he ever heard about was Wick. Wick fixed the sink when it was leaking. Wick installed the new counters. Wick laid the new tile down in the kitchen. Wick put the new shower in. Wick did this, and Wick did that. He was so fucking sick and tired of hearing about Wick, he was tempted to punch the next person that mentioned the little fucker’s name.

“Fuck Wick,” Don spat, “I can do it.”

The corner of Jax’s goatee quirked upward slightly, his lips twitching as he fought back a smile. It was no secret to Jax or his father that the beast of a man standing before him was interested in his little sister, Laney. Jax had known it for some time now. He’d seen the fleeting glances that the fighter had stolen at his baby sister when she would walk by. He hadn’t missed the way that Don’s eyes tended to linger on Laney when he thought no one else was looking. And it had to play hell on him, knowing that another man was always there at her house, always fixing this or mending that, always doing some sort of repairs on the fixer-upper that her father had helped secure for her after she’d finished college and moved back to Jericho.

Jax couldn’t imagine that it was easy for Don, seeing the woman he wanted everywhere – she frequented the bar where he worked, she worked at the gym where he trained, hell she’d even run into him at the local grocery store – and knowing that another man was warming her bed. And what only added further insult to injury was the fact that the relationship between Laney and Wick was purely physical.

While Jax didn’t entirely know why it was that Don was so interested in Laney, he couldn’t help but compare the way that Don looked at his baby sister to a lost little puppy left out in the rain who had _finally_ stumbled onto a nice, warm house. It was as if Don had _finally_ found the break in the clouds, like he was _finally_ having a spot of luck. And Heaven help any man that ever tried to take that away from him.

Jax knew enough about Don to know that he wasn’t the kind to only pursue a woman for sexual reasons. In fact, the more Jax learned about the heavyweight fighter, who was both confident and capable behind any bar or in any octagon, the more surprises and contradictions he found lying beneath the surface. The man was a beast, standing at 6’5” and weighing in at 235 pounds. To say that he was “jacked” was an understatement. And yet, despite his unmatched strength and steely determination, his resilience to bounce back from a hard hit and the patience he had to wait for just the right second to go in for the kill, the man was _clueless_ when it came to women. And he was a bumbling, awkward, clumsy fool when it came to Laney in particular. That much was made _painfully_ obvious during the first time Laney had climbed into the ring to train the behemoth of a man.

Looking back on it, Jax couldn’t help but laugh. Don had tripped over his words, unsure of where to direct his gaze, and had stuttered his way through trying to explain to Laney that he didn’t want to throw a punch at her for fear that he’d hurt her. The man had actually _blushed_ when Laney had insisted that she could take it, having explained that she’d grown up wrestling with her three brothers. And, when Laney had launched the first punch to demonstrate to him her ability to hold her own in the ring as a trainer, Don had been sent reeling backwards a couple of unsteady steps, clearly caught off guard and not having expected a woman to throw a punch to outmatch most of the men there at the gym.

So there wasn’t a doubt in Jax’s mind that Don’s offer to take a look at Laney’s car stemmed from a genuine place, an honest desire to see to it that Laney had a dependable vehicle to get her back and forth, rather than the simple but carnal desire to get in her pants. No. Don was vying for her attention, for her affection. He wanted to earn brownie points, not put another notch on his belt. And, now that Jax thought about it, he really started to wonder whether Don had _any_ notches on his belt. That thought gave him pause.

“Don –,” Jax started.

But Don cut him off, shaking his head and insisting, “I’ll do it. I’ll go take a look at it after I finish my training session. I don’t have anything else to do today.”

Jax didn’t want to see the man get hurt, or worse… He didn’t want to see him tear up his sister’s car. That old Chevelle was his sister’s pride and joy and she’d have his balls if Don fucked up her car, trying to play mechanic to impress her.

“Listen, maybe this is a bad idea,” Jax tried to reason with him, even though he knew that it would only have the opposite effect.

Unbeknownst to Don, Jax and Laney’s father, Marco, had made it _perfectly_ clear to Jax and his older brother, Chaz, that he wanted nothing more than to see his daughter settle down with a fighter. His reasons were simple. Fighters were the _only_ men that he understood, the _only_ men that he trusted around his daughter. Laney knew fighters. She understood them. She had grown up around them. She knew how to hold her own against the guys there at the gym because her father had been a fighter for years and two of her three brothers had followed in his footsteps. Now that he owned his own gym, Marco trained her brothers and other fighters like them to compete at the highest level. Hell, some of them had even gone on to fight in the UFC Championship, like Marco once had.

Fighters didn’t intimidate Laney. While she might not fight in the octagon, she certainly helped train several of the fighters there in the gym and she was still a fighter, through and through. She had the temperament of a fighter, that “fighting spirit” as their father liked to call it. It would take a fool not to see that Marco was trying to nudge his daughter into dating one of the guys there at the gym. And maybe that little plan would’ve worked, had it not been for Laney’s strict “no dating fighters” policy that she had adopted.

“Jax, from what you said, it sounds like the valve cover gasket in her car needs replaced. It’s a simple fix. And if the car’s been leaking oil, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to change the oil in her car while I’m at it, since I’d have to drain it anyway to get to the gasket,” Don informed him.

Jax’s dark brows rose at that. Maybe Don _did_ know a thing or two about cars.

“Look,” Don said, “I’m not Wick. I’m not just trying to fix something to get in her pants. If it is a valve cover gasket that needs replacing, it’d be wise to replace _both_ of them at the same time, that way she doesn’t have to turn around and replace the other one in a month or two. I’ll have to drain the oil so that I can check it out and make sure that that’s what the problem is, but if the car’s throwing smoke out from under the hood and it’s leaking oil, that’s the first thing I’d want to check. If it’s left unchecked for long enough, it can burn the damn engine up and, trust me, that’s not an expense she wants to have to pay for.”

Jax nodded at that. He was a mechanic at the local auto body shop, Smith’s Service Center, there in Jericho. He knew all too well how much it would cost to replace the engine in his sister’s 1967 Chevy Chevelle. And since it was a Super Sport, that would jack the price up even higher.

Jax heaved a sigh, bringing his arms up to fold them over his chest and nodding his head as he finally agreed, “All right. Just be sure to tell her how much she owes you for whatever parts it needs. I know Laney. She’ll want to repay you.”

Don just nodded, now that it was settled, and headed over to the ring.

“You coming?” he tossed back over his shoulder, hoping to goad Marco Mathers’ middle son into joining him in the ring for a sparring session.

Don had just finished sparring with Jax when one of the other fighters, Mickey Murdoch, walked into the gym.

Jax sighed.

While Murdoch was one of the better fighters there at the gym and his father had made it very clear to Jax, Chaz, and Laney that he wanted Murdoch to be one of the top priority fighters there at the gym, Murdoch was one of the biggest dicks Jax had encountered yet – and the mouthiest by far. He was all ego, always talking shit to the other fighters there at the gym and even to Jax or Chaz themselves. Jax had heard him make a comment about Laney on _more_ than one occasion while he’d been restocking the locker room with supplies for the fighters, and it had taken every _fiber_ of his self-control not to knock the fucker’s teeth down his throat.

“Connally,” Murdoch greeted with a slight upward nod of his head in acknowledgment as Don climbed out of the ring.

“Murdoch,” Don returned the greeting.

“Where’s your little girlfriend?” Murdoch questioned.

Don’s brows furrowed at that and he asked, “What are you talking about?”

Jax sighed, shaking his head. He knew what was coming next.

“Laney, you idiot,” Murdoch jeered, “You’ve been drooling after her for _months_ now. You honestly expect me to believe that you haven’t noticed she’s not here this morning?”

“Leave it be, Murdoch,” Jax implored as he climbed out of the ring.

But Murdoch ignored him, focusing his attention on Don instead.

But, to Don’s credit, he simply shrugged his shoulders and replied, “I heard she was having car trouble this morning.”

“Guess she’ll have to call Wick to fix that too, huh?” Murdoch taunted, the sarcasm and innuendo in his voice hanging heavily in the air.

Though Don stiffened slightly, his posture growing a little more tense and the muscle in his jaw ticking as he grit his teeth for a second, he kept his cool, his voice nonchalant as he said, “I guess so.”

Jax had to give him credit. Any other man would’ve decked the son of a bitch already.

“Now see, that’s what I just can’t seem to figure out,” Murdoch commented, voicing his thoughts aloud, “She’ll fuck _him_ six ways from Sunday, but she won’t spread those pretty little legs for any of us here at the gym? How does that make sense?”

Jax watched as Don’s large hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“Don’t talk about her like that,” Don ground out of tightly clenched teeth.

“Why not?” Murdoch pressed, “It’s true, isn’t it? She’s not fucking you either, is she?”

“I said shut your fucking mouth,” Don warned, pointing at him as he took a couple steps closer, his tall, broad frame looming over Murdoch’s smaller one.

While Murdoch was broad in the shoulders and he could throw a punch harder than pretty much any guy Jax had ever seen, Don still had a good seven inches on him in height.

“Well, if you like her so much, why haven’t you hit that yet?” Murdoch sneered, “What’s the matter, big guy? She too much woman to handle? Let me take a swing at her. I’ll break her in for you.”

Jax couldn’t stop him. It all happened so fast. One minute, Murdoch was running his mouth and, the next, he was laid out on the floor, knocked unconscious. Jax had never seen a man go down so fast – or so hard for that matter. He’d seen Don in the ring before. He’d seen him fight or spar countless times. Hell, he’d even trained with the guy a few times over the past nine months that he’d been a member of Jax’s dad’s gym. But now, Jax got the feeling that Don had been holding back during some of his fights.

“Jesus…” Jax sighed, bringing one hand up to run it down his face as he tried to figure out what the hell they were going to do.

In his defense, Don had warned the mouthy fucker _multiple_ times to quit talking shit about Laney. But the idiot hadn’t had the common sense to heed the warning. And Jax honestly couldn’t blame him for wanting to knock the son of a bitch on his ass. Hell, he wanted to do it again _himself_ whenever the bastard came back to his senses. But, despite all of that, Jax’s father had a _very_ strict “no fighting between fighters” policy there at the gym. They could spar in the ring. They could help each other train. But there was to be _absolutely_ no animosity between members of the gym. They were a team. They trained together. They fought together. They went to each other’s fights to help show each other their support. And this would undoubtedly not set well with Marco Mathers.

“Shit…” Jax cursed.

“I’m sorry…” Don mumbled, shaking his head, “I shouldn’t have…”

He trailed off, and Jax shook his head, assuring him, “If you wouldn’t have knocked his ass out, I would’ve. That’s not what I’m worried about. What I _am_ worried about is how dad’s gonna handle this.”

Don groaned. He couldn’t lose his membership at this gym. He’d been training there for the past nine months. He’d won several fights already – hell, he hadn’t lost a fight yet – and it was all thanks to Marco, Jax, Chaz, and Laney Mathers. He didn’t know what he’d do without them or their support. They’d helped shape him and train him into the fighter that he was now, and he honestly didn’t know where he would be without them, but he sure as hell knew he wouldn’t have made it this far.

_“Fuck!”_ Don exclaimed, bringing both hands up to cradle the sides of his head, his fingers lacing through his short, dirty blonde hair.

“I think that’s a bit of an understatement at this point, but it will do,” Jax commented.

It was at that moment that the very man in question walked through the door of the gym, making his way over to the small group of men that had gathered around the limp form of Murdoch, who was sprawled out on the floor, still unconscious.

Marco’s fierce, hazel gaze roamed over each of the men standing before him, his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied each and every face, trying to figure out who the guilty party was.

“Who did this?” he demanded, fixing each of them with that intense and intimidating gaze once more.

Jax shot Don a quick glance, giving the subtlest shake of his head as he implored with the man not to give himself away.

But Jax didn’t miss the apology in Don’s eyes as he stepped forward, his eyes making the briefest connection with Jax’s before he lowered his head in shame as he admitted, “I did, sir.”

Jax should’ve seen it coming. It just wasn’t in Don’s nature to shove the consequences of his actions off on someone else.

Marco Mathers was shocked speechless. Don Connally was one of his best fighters and the most respectful one Marco had ever encountered. He was always polite and courteous, and he extended that kindness to all of the other members of the gym. So, to learn that _he_ had been the one to knock Mickey “Mad Dog” Murdoch out was quite a surprise. While it came as no surprise that one of the members of the gym had finally had enough of the cocky, middleweight fighter’s mouth, it _was_ shocking to hear that _Don_ had finally been the one to close it for him.

Marco passed a glance over to his daughter, finding that she was standing there, staring at the man with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open in disbelief herself.

“You know the rules about fighting with another member of this gym,” Marco said.

“Yes, sir,” Don confirmed with a nod.

“And yet you still laid him out on my gym floor?” Marco questioned.

“Yes, sir,” Don replied, his head still hung low, eyes fixed on the concrete floor of the gym, “I did.”

“How did this happen?” Marco inquired, letting his eyes roam over the men standing around the limp form of Murdoch’s body.

“It wasn’t Don’s fault,” Jax spoke up, finally caving and stepping forward to address his father, “He tried to warn him.”

“What do you mean?” Marco asked.

“Murdoch was talking shit about Laney,” Jax informed his father.

“He was _what?”_ Marco and Laney asked at the same time.

“He was talking shit about Laney,” Jax repeated, “He made some pretty crude comments, insinuating that he wanted in Laney’s pants. Don told him twice to knock it off, but Murdoch just kept pressing his luck. It all happened so fast. I didn’t have a chance to intervene. One minute, Murdoch was running his mouth and, the next, he was laid out on the floor.”

Marco’s brows rose at that. He wasn’t necessarily surprised that Don had stood up for Laney. It was no secret that the boy had had eyes for her for as long as he’d been training there at the gym Marco ran. But to hear that Don had knocked _Murdoch_ out with one punch? Well, that was a different matter entirely. Murdoch had been undefeated up to this point.

“He knocked him out with one punch?” Marco inquired incredulously.

“One punch,” Jax confirmed with a nod, “Knocked his ass out. He was out before he even hit the ground.”

Marco’s dark brows hiked up his forehead once more, but he gave a slow nod as that information processed.

“I see…” he said, bringing one hand up to rub his chin as he stared down at an unconscious Murdoch.

Don waited with bated breath for the owner of the gym to decide his fate. He waited for what seemed like forever before Marco finally made his decision.

“Well…” Marco decided aloud, “It seems like we have a little dilemma here…”

“Yes, sir,” Don agreed with a slight nod.

“But if what Jax says is true, you gave him _ample_ opportunities to stop running his mouth, and he didn’t heed those warnings,” Marco stated, rubbing at his chin, where the 5 o’clock shadow was starting to show.

“He did,” Jax confirmed with a nod.

“Don?” Marco addressed him.

“Yes, sir?” Don asked, lifting his head to lock eyes with the owner of the gym, one of the finest MMA fighters in the history of the UFC.

“I want you to go home for the rest of the day, go cool off,” Marco ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Don sighed, his gaze falling to the floor once more and his shoulders sagging in defeat as he nodded.

“I don’t want to see you in this gym for two weeks,” Marco told him.

His head jerked up at that, his blue eyes wide in surprise.

“You’re not kicking me out of the gym?” he asked incredulously.

“You stood up for my daughter,” Marco reminded him, “You gave a man who had instigated the situation _ample_ opportunities to stop. _He_ was the one who failed to act in a professional manner. Why would I fault you for that?”

“I…. Thank you, sir,” Don replied, not quite sure what to say.

Marco gave a single, downward nod before jerking his head towards the door and telling him, “Now go on. Get out of here.”

Don nodded, mumbling, “Yes, sir.”

He was quick to make his way for the locker room to collect his things, and Marco dismissed the rest of the others, telling them, “Well, you’ve got training to do. Go on. Get to it.”

They quickly dispersed, each of them going their separate ways.

Once they were out of earshot, Marco turned to his son, questioning, “He knocked Murdoch out in one fucking punch?!”

Jax just nodded, stating, “He did. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. It all happened so fast. Like I said, I didn’t have time to intervene.”

“Jesus, the kid must hit like a fucking freight train!” Marco exclaimed.

“I sure as hell wouldn’t want to tangle with him,” Jax admitted.

“And it was all over Laney?” Marco prompted.

Jax just nodded.

Marco directed his attention to his daughter then, informing her, “I think you owe that man a thank you.”

She gave a nod, replying, “I suppose I do.”

Then she turned to her brother, asking, “So when do you think you’ll get a chance to take a look at my car?”

Don typed the address Jax texted him into his phone, navigating his way to Laney’s house. Since he didn’t have to work until that evening and he couldn’t train at the gym, he had nothing else to do with his afternoon. So, he found his way to Laney’s place, parking in front of the small, blue, single-story house she owned, thanks to the help of her father – the same house that Wick Ramsey had been doing the repairs on for the past seven months. And who knew how long the slimy bastard had been fucking Marco Mathers’ daughter after having been hired on as the handy man. Murdoch had been right about one thing: It made Don’s blood boil knowing that Wick had taken advantage of his employment there at Laney’s house to worm his way into her pants. No respectable man tried to seduce a woman in her own home while he was working for her. It just wasn’t right. But what did Don know?

Don sighed, throwing the driver’s side door of his old, 1970 Chevy Nova open and climbing out of the car. Like Laney’s Chevelle, it too was a Super Sport. It was the only thing of his father’s that he’d wanted when the old man had passed away a couple years ago. The man had left him with more than enough baggage to carry over the years. He didn’t need any more. But he’d loved that old car. It held what few good memories Don still had of his father, long nights spent out in the garage, working on it, tuning it up, and even rebuilding it from the ground up when his father had run it head first into a fucking telephone pole one night when he’d had a little too much to drink and had decided it was time for a joy ride.

Don found the driveway empty as he headed around the side of the house, towards the garage. The garage door was open, the classic American muscle car staring back at him from inside. It didn’t make sense not to keep a car like that locked up, but he supposed Laney didn’t figure it was at risk of being stolen since it wouldn’t run anyway. The car was sharp though, he had to give her that. It was sleek, black with twin, white racing stripes streaking over the top of the car, from the hood, clear back to the trunk of the car. The interior was designed to match the paint scheme, black leather with white down the center of the seats and white trim to spruce up the interior of the car a bit. From what Jax had said, Laney _loved_ this car, and the _last_ thing Don wanted to do was misdiagnose the car’s problem and fix the wrong part of the car. But if there was one thing he knew well, it was auto mechanics.

With that thought in mind, Don made his way up the driveway and into the garage. He reached down and popped the hood, using the hood struts to hold it in place so that he could take a look under the hood.

His blue eyes narrowed as they scanned the inner workings of the car, taking in every detail. Jax had said that the car was leaking oil, but it didn’t seem to be leaking internally, at least not that he could see. He also said that it was throwing smoke out from under the hood. Those symptoms alone would lead him to believe that one or both of the valve cover gaskets needed to be replaced.

Deciding to check out the undercarriage of the car, just to be sure that there wasn’t some other cause behind the car’s symptoms, Don let his eyes rake over the garage, searching for something to jack the car up with so that he could get underneath it to get a proper look at the undercarriage.

Laney smiled and waved to her brother as she climbed out of his car.

“Thanks again, Jax,” she told him, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She threw her black, Jack Skellington, canvas messenger bag over one shoulder and headed for the house. But she stopped, halfway there, when she realized that there was a car parked in her driveway, a car that she didn’t recognize. It was a midnight blue, 1970 Chevy Nova, of that she was certain, but she didn’t know anyone that drove that kind of car.

She stole a glance back at Jax, who’s blue eyes flicked from her to the car in her driveway before a sly little lopsided grin curled at his lips.

“What did you do?” she asked him.

“Oh, nothing of importance,” he lied smoothly, “You’ll thank me later.”

“Jackson –,” she started to question him, but he was already pulling away from the curb, leaving her standing there, staring after him with her mouth hanging open in shock.

“You son of a bitch…” she cursed under her breath.

Sighing, she resigned herself to go figure out who was parked in front of her garage. And it didn’t take her long to figure it out, discovering a familiar, tall, broad frame that was hunched over under the hood of the old Metallicar, affectionately named after one of the greatest classic rock bands – and her second favorite car in television history. While she’d never admitted it to anyone, her favorite car in the movies had actually been the souped-up, 1969 Ford Fastback that Billy Darley had driven in the movie Death Sentence.

As Laney made her way up the driveway, she tried to decide how she wanted to handle her current predicament. While she greatly appreciated Don Connally wanting to help her out, while she was genuinely grateful for him offering up his time and effort to take a look at her car, she didn’t exactly know how far his mechanical skills extended. She didn’t want to offend him, but she didn’t exactly want him to fuck her car up even further either. Honestly, she was surprised that her father hadn’t contacted Wick or even her Uncle Jesse to come and fix it for her. At least her Uncle Jesse was a certified mechanic.

She stopped just outside the open garage door, hearing the loud classic rock music that was blaring out of the stereo system that was sitting on one of the workstations there in the garage. She couldn’t help but smile at his taste in music.

“Billy Idol, huh?” she inquired.

_“Jesus!”_ he cried, jerking upright as his back went ramrod straight and he cracked his head on the hood of the car with an audible _WHACK._

Laney’s feet were carrying her across the concrete floor of the garage before she even knew what she was doing, her hands reaching out to shoo his larger ones away from the open cut that streaked across the top of his head.

“Oh, Donnie, I’m so sorry!” she apologized, cradling his head in her hands as her blue eyes evaluated the damage, “I should’ve known better than to scare you like that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” he told her, gently shaking off her hands and heading over to turn off the music, “I just… I didn’t hear you coming up the drive is all.”

“You don’t have to,” she said.

His brows furrowed as he shot her a questioning glance over his shoulder.

“Turn off the music, that is,” she elaborated, “You don’t have to.”

His hand paused, halfway to the dial, and he asked, “You like classic rock?”

“Like it?” she inquired, “I fucking _love_ Billy Idol’s music. The man was a lyrical genius. Rebel Yell? Dancing with Myself? White Wedding? The man was brilliant.”

Don gave a single snort of laughter but nodded his head, agreeing, “I suppose he was.”

“You don’t agree?” she questioned.

“Honestly, I’m more of a Duran Duran fan,” Don informed her, taking her by surprise.

She gave a slow nod, watching as he moved to lean against the workstation, turning to face her now and fixing those stormy, blue eyes on her.

She’d always been a sucker for blue eyes.

“Hungry Like the Wolf?” she inquired, her eyes darting to his lips and then lower, despite herself, to the bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed.

He shook his head, replying, “That was a good one, but no.”

“Rio?” she prompted.

“Another good one, but no,” he answered, “My favorite one was Come Undone.”

_God_ , she’d like to…

She shook her head at herself and he furrowed his brows, asking, “You don’t like that one?”

“No, no,” she replied, “I do. It’s one of my favorites. I just…”

She needed to find something, anything, to distract herself from the fact that the man was covered in grease, from the tips of his fingers, clear up to his elbows. Black smudges streaked across his cheeks and his forehead from where he’d tried to wipe the sweat from his face with the back of one arm. God, why did she have to have a kink for grease monkeys?

She watched as his brows furrowed even further and he pushed himself off of the workstation, preparing to eliminate the space between them, but he stopped as she asked, “So did you figure out what’s wrong with it? My car?”

Don nodded, moving once more as he made his way over to her, the breath caught in her throat as the strong smell of motor oil flooded her senses and, underneath that, something distinctly musky and masculine that had her inner walls fluttering. Her eyes drifted shut for a moment, her nostrils flaring wildly to capture that scent. But he walked around her, making his way over to the car instead.

For a second, Don could’ve sworn he’d seen something like… _hunger_ in her eyes. But he must have been mistaken. Surely, there was no way in _hell_ Elena Mathers wanted _anything_ to do with him.

“I did,” he told her, “I drained the oil first so that I could check everything out, but I would’ve had to anyway since it was leaking from the undercarriage. Once that was done, it was easier to get in there and have a good look around. Turns out one of the valve cover gaskets needed replaced. Oil was leaking out of the gasket. It was dripping onto the camshafts, and that’s what caused the smoke to roll out from under the hood – the oil dripping onto the hot cams. If it would’ve gone unchecked, it could’ve blown your whole damn engine up. But since I had to replace one, I figured I might as well replace both of them. Once that was done, I was able to change the oil and the oil filter. It should be good as new now.”

Holy shit…

She just stood there, staring at him with her mouth hanging open and her pale, blue eyes wide. She felt like a fish on dry land, just gaping at him.

Who would’ve thought that the fighter by day, bartender by night would’ve been so knowledgeable about auto mechanics?

“I… Thank you…” she said, catching her bottom lip between her teeth as her eyes slowly roamed over him in that grease-stained, once-white wife beater and those faded, denim blue jeans that hugged his body, “How much do I owe you?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he told her, shaking his head and giving a downward wave of his hand to dismiss the idea of her paying him.

“It’s not nothing, Don,” she insisted, “You fixed my car. And you paid for the parts out of your own pocket.”

“And you and your father and your brothers train me every day at the gym,” he pointed out, “Your brother acts as my cornerman at my fights. Over the past nine months, I’ve come to look at you guys as my friends. So yeah, we’ll call it even.”

“We are _so_ not even,” she countered, slowly making her way over to him.

Don didn’t know where to look, not when she had those pale, blue eyes fixed on him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Her voice had dropped an octave, taking on a slightly huskier tone, and there was no mistaking that look in her eyes now.

Had Don been a smart man, he would’ve realized that she was slowly making her way over to the garage door opener. But he hadn’t even noticed it until the sound of the door lowering dragged his eyes away from the swaying of her hips as she walked past him.

“But I think I know how we could be…” she practically purred once she’d turned around to face him once more.

Don nearly swallowed his own fucking tongue when she reached down to grab the hem of her plain, black tank top, tugging it up over her head to drop it to the floor. He found that he couldn’t move. He couldn’t think. Hell, he couldn’t even fucking _breathe,_ as she reached back behind her to find the clasp of her bra and pull it loose, letting the cups sag before they hit the floor.

“I…” he started, swallowing hard and having to try again as he forced his eyes away from the swell of her small but perky breasts to focus his gaze on the ceiling of her garage, “Laney… I didn’t do it for this… I’m not him… I’m not… _Wick.”_

He practically spat the last word out, hating the way it tasted on his tongue.

“You don’t like him,” she observed aloud as she slowly sauntered closer, closing the gap between them one small step at a time.

“He takes advantage of you,” he pointed out.

_“No_ one takes advantage of me unless I let them,” she countered.

“It’s not right,” he argued, having to fight against every cell in his body to keep his eyes locked on the ceiling of her garage.

His body practically shook with the effort.

“I allow it,” she told him, “In fact, I encourage it. He wants it, and I want it. We’re both consenting adults. What about that is not right?”

Don paused for a moment, struggling to get his brain to remind him once again why he hated the idea of Wick sleeping with Laney so much, other than the obvious and glaring fact that it wasn’t Don himself.

“What respectable man seduces a woman in her own home while he’s working for her?” he finally managed to spit out.

Though he couldn’t see it, Laney gave a slow nod at that, processing the information. So, it was a matter of pride then?

“How long?” she questioned.

“What?” he asked.

“How long have you liked me?” she elaborated.

“I…” he started before shaking his head and replying, “It doesn’t matter.”

“But it _does_ matter,” she informed him, “You see… On my way home from work today, Jax informed me that you’d been watching me there at the gym for _months_ now, staring at me when I’d walk by, stealing little glances at me when you thought no one else was looking. Hell, he said your mouth practically watered any time I was near.”

That _bastard._

“So, tell me…” she prompted, “How long have you wanted me?”

“Laney, it’s not like that,” he tried to explain, “It’s not just about the sex for me. That’s not why I’m interested in you. I genuinely like you. Everything about you fascinates me. I just…”

He trailed off when he lowered his gaze to her once more, finding her standing _right_ there in front of him now, close enough to touch. How the hell was he supposed to focus on their conversation when her breasts were taunting him like that? Teasing him with the thought of wrapping his lips around them and dragging his tongue over the puckering peaks? It was more than almost any man could take.

But Don was determined. He didn’t _ever_ want her to think that his interest in her was only skin deep, because that was _far_ from the truth.

“Could you maybe…?” he asked, gesturing to her bare chest with one large hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized, though her words lacked sincerity, “Am I distracting you?”

“Very much so,” was his answer.

She smiled at that, a genuine smile, and he found the apology she offered to be lacking when she stared at him with those pale, blue eyes full of mischief. But he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“I don’t just want your body, Laney,” Don finally admitted, “I want all of you or nothing at all.”

Her dark brows hiked up her forehead at that. The man drove a hard bargain.

But maybe, just maybe, there was something to be gained from this little arrangement. With Wick, it was just about the sex. Hell, somedays, she wondered if he even had any feelings for her at all. Sure, they shared some playful banter back and forth while he worked on this or that on occasion. Sometimes, she offered him lunch if he decided to work on a weekend or dinner if he worked late into the evening. It wasn’t uncommon for them to share a bit of small talk now and then. And there was no denying that they both benefited from their little mutual agreement. He worked hard to renovate the little fixer-upper that she called home and catered to her surprisingly high sex drive and he got compensated for both – though her dad wasn’t exactly aware of that little fact, and Laney fully intended to keep it that way . But as for Wick having any sort of romantic feelings for her? Well, she honestly couldn’t say.

But Don, on the other hand, already had feelings for her. He was willing to take on the toughest fighter there at the gym for her. He was willing to fight for her, to gain her attention, her affection. He took this _very_ seriously. He took _her_ very seriously. And that wasn’t something she was used to.

Laney was used to men wanting to use her for their own benefit, to get into her father’s gym, to get their own rocks off, to have a pretty thing hanging off of their arm at a party. But Don wasn’t going into this for his own personal gain. Instead, he wanted to please _her._ While Wick was selfless in the bedroom, Don was selfless in _every_ interaction he had ever had with her. And, looking back on it now, she had no idea how the hell she’d never seen it before, how she’d never realized that this man wanted her.

Don was nothing like Wick. Don wasn’t a thinker. He was a doer. He wasn’t the calm, cool, calculating kind. He was a hothead when angered. He was the kind to throw a punch first and ask questions later. He was both capable and confident in the octagon, as well as behind the bar, where he worked at Slick Nicky’s, one of the local bars there in Jericho – and her favorite, as far as she was concerned. But, despite all of that, Don was held with high regard there in Jericho, unlike Wick. Wick was a mystery. No one knew his past, no one knew _anything_ about him before he had arrived there in Jericho. Don was kind, friendly, open, outgoing. He was boisterous and playful, witty and engaging. He was the kind of guy that everyone wanted to know. He was the life of any party, the one that all of the men wanted to hang out with, the one that all of the women wanted to catch the eye of.

And yet, despite that, Laney had never _once_ seen him go home with a woman, not even to drive her home to make sure that she got there safely when she’d had too much to drink. Instead, he’d called them a cab to ensure that they got home safely without putting either him or them in a compromising situation that could come back to bite them in the ass later. He was nothing but respectful to the women he worked with, the women he worked around. He was always polite to them, issuing a firm warning to any of the men that tried to push their luck with his female coworkers and even having stood up for Laney to Murdoch today when no one else had ever had the balls to do it themselves – though Jax had wanted to several times, but he’d feared what his father would have to say about it after the fact. And, now that she thought about it, Laney realized that the few times she _had_ seen Don interacting with a woman who had tried coming onto him, he’d blushed like a damn tomato and had fumbled over his words, trying to let them down as politely as possible.

It all made perfect sense now: his awkwardness with the ladies, the way he tripped over his words when in the presence of a woman who was hitting on him, the blush that was currently traveling up the length of his neck to slowly color his cheeks and the way he kept trying to avoid looking at her bare breasts as she stood before him.

“You’re a virgin,” she realized out loud.

She watched as his eyes grew wide, both in horror and pure shock, and he started to backpedal, placing both hands up in front of him as he slowly started to back away from her.

“Laney –,” he started.

“Don, it’s okay,” she told him, a small smile curling at her lips to let him know that she wasn’t trying to tease him, “We all were at one point. There’s no shame in it.”

“I never said I was ashamed of it,” he corrected her, “I just… I don’t think you’re thinking clearly right now. Look, I’ll leave, and we’ll just forget this ever happened, okay?”

He forced his eyes to meet hers then and Laney pouted.

“No, don’t,” he pleaded, “Please don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad, Don,” she assured him, “I’m just confused is all. I mean, doesn’t it ever tempt you? Aren’t you even a _little_ bit curious about what it would be like to feel a woman’s skin under your hands? To taste her desire with your tongue?”

He groaned at that, the sound deep and guttural as it rumbled up from somewhere deep within him.

God, she had no idea what she was doing to him. He wanted those things. He wanted _all_ of those things. And he wanted them with Laney. No one else would do. But he didn’t want her to make this decision without thinking it through. He didn’t want it to be just a one-time thing, something that she would look back on with disappointment. He didn’t want her to do something that she would later regret. This wasn’t something that Don took lightly, and he didn’t want her to either. Because he knew, without a _doubt_ in his mind, that if he ever touched Laney, if he ever got even a _taste_ of what it was like to be with her in that way, it would never be enough. He might not know the first thing about what a woman wanted in bed, but he was smart enough to know that.

“Laney…” he started but found that he couldn’t find the words.

Her hand found the broad expanse of his chest over the grease-stained, once-white material of the wife beater he wore and the muscles beneath it jumped and flexed, instinctively craving more of her touch and trying to seek it out.

“Don…” she addressed him, her voice a little lower now, her tone a little sultrier, “You want me. That much is _very_ clear. And I’d have to be blind, deaf, or dumb not to see how fucking hot you are. I’d have to be an idiot to turn away the man that stood up for me when someone was talking shit about me. Even Wick hasn’t jumped into a fight for me.”

“The fucking prick,” Don ground out of tightly clenched teeth.

“Wick was very upfront about the fact that it was just sex between the two of us,” she told him, “At least he was honest about it. Most guys don’t even have the decency to do that. But you, you already have feelings for me. This isn’t just about the sex for you.”

He shook his head hard. She had to know that. He wanted to be _sure_ that she knew that.

“I can’t make any promises, Donnie,” she explained, and he was surprised that he didn’t mind the little nickname, not when it fell from her lips in that soft, sweet voice of hers, “I can’t promise you that this will last. I can’t promise you that I will give Wick up. I can’t promise you that you won’t come to hate me or resent me –,”

“I could never _hate_ you, Laney,” he was quick to interject, “And I could certainly never regret anything that happens between us.”

“You say that now,” she countered, “But what happens if, in a couple months, I’m still taking you _and_ Wick to my bed? What happens if, in a couple months, I still can’t choose between you?”

“Then, I’ll deal with it,” he assured her, though there was a slight tick in his jaw that told her that, while he might go along with it, he would never truly be happy about it.

But Don was a man of his word. And, when he gave his word, Laney trusted it to be true.

“And you could live with that?” she questioned, “You could live with me seeking _both_ of you out for pleasure?”

“Not at the same time, but yes,” he replied, “Just know that when I have you, I expect _all_ of you, not just your body, Elena. While you’re with me, you are _mine.”_

Laney nodded at that. She could live with that. If he wasn’t asking her to make a choice between him and Wick, then he was better than 99% of the men she knew. It showed her how devoted he was to her, how determined he was to have her, regardless of the stipulations. He wanted her, plain and simple, and he would have her any way she was willing to let him. But he wouldn’t make her choose, at least not today.

Her hand slowly skirted lower, the tips of her fingers tickling the skin beneath the material of his shirt, making every muscle bunch and twitch beneath her whispery touches. She continued her descent down over his chest, to the firm muscles and rippling planes of his abdomen, and Don’s jaw clenched even as his nostrils flared and his hands balled into fists at his sides to keep from reaching out and tugging her against him.

“You know, there’s something so sexy about a man that’s covered in grease…” she practically purred, those pale, blue eyes following the path her fingers were making down the length of his torso.

His brows furrowed at that. She didn’t mind him being all dirty?

“No,” she answered, “I don’t.”

He hadn’t realized that he’d voiced the question aloud, but all thought came to a sudden and screeching halt when her hand found the waistband of his jeans and she yanked him closer by it, bringing herself up onto her tiptoes even as her other hand snaked up behind his neck to cradle the back of it. She pulled him down before he had a chance for his brain to catch up to what was going on, and he found himself rendered completely speechless when she captured his lips with hers.

God, those lips were so soft, so full, so warm and perfect against his. They were better than anything he’d ever imagined. And, what’s more, they were _real._ This was _really_ happening.

When that thought finally registered in his brain, Don’s hands caught up, his large palms wrapping around the soft flare of her hips, his fingers curling around them and pressing her firmly against him as he tilted her head to deepen the kiss, his tongue slowly slipping out of his mouth to trace the curve of her lower lip in a single, wet glide.

She parted her lips, encouraging him, and her tongue sought his out, stealing all logic from him as the warm, wet muscle tangled with his own tongue. He couldn’t stop the groan that tore from his throat then, couldn’t keep his fingers from tightening around her, gripping her tighter as he held her to him like an anchor, breathing her in as the scent of her perfume wafted up to him. Apples and daises, such a surprisingly girly scent for a woman who spent her days training men how to fight in her father’s gym every day, but it suited her. It was perfect, just like the rest of her, and he wanted more of it. He wanted to _bathe_ in it.

Before he realized what he was doing, his hands had slid down and around, grasping at the ample curve of her ass and lifting her off of the concrete floor. Her legs wrapped around his waist, tucking him in close to her body and locking him in place as her hands cradled his face, the stubble along his jaw scraping against the palms of her hands. She moaned for him, arching her back and rocking her hips to grind herself against him, and Don damn near dropped her, his knees threatening to give out on him and causing him to stumble as a sharp burst of pleasure shot through him, heading straight to his very core.

“Don…” she moaned against his mouth as he panted into hers, “Over there… On the table…”

_He said, "Let's get out of this town  
Drive out of the city  
Away from the crowds"  
I thought heaven can't help me now  
Nothing lasts forever  
But this is gonna take me down_

_  
He's so tall and handsome as hell  
He's so bad, but he does it so well  
I can see the end as it begins_

_My one condition is…_

_Say you'll remember me  
Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe  
Red lips and rosy cheeks  
Say you'll see me again, even if it's just in your wildest dreams (ah ah)  
Wildest dreams (ah ah)_

_I said no one has to know what we do  
His hands are in my hair_

_His clothes are in my room  
And his voice is a familiar sound_

_Nothing lasts forever  
But this is getting good now_

_  
He's so tall, and handsome as hell  
He's so bad, but he does it so well  
And when we've had our very last kiss  
But my last request is…_

_Say you'll remember me  
Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe  
Red lips and rosy cheeks  
Say you'll see me again, even if it's just in your wildest dreams (ah ah) (ah ah)  
Wildest dreams (ah ah)_

_You see me in hindsight  
Tangled up with you all night  
Burnin’ it down  
Some day when you leave me  
I bet these memories follow you around_

_  
You see me in hindsight  
Tangled up with you all night  
Burnin' it down (burnin' it down)  
Some day when you leave me  
I bet these memories follow you around (follow you around)_

_Say you'll remember me  
Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe  
Red lips and rosy cheeks  
Say you'll see me again, even if it's just pretend_

_Say you'll remember me  
Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe  
Red lips and rosy cheeks  
Say you'll see me again, even if it's just (just pretend, just pretend) in your wildest dreams (ah ah)  
In your wildest dreams (ah ah)  
Even if it's just in your wildest dreams (ah ah)  
In your wildest dreams (ah ah)_

She gestured with a jerk of her head in the direction of the closest workstation and Don was quick to comply, hoping like hell that his knees didn’t give out on him before they made it there. Once he had finally reached his destination, he set her on the edge of the table, hunching down slightly to press his lips more firmly to hers.

He didn’t want to let them part from her, didn’t want to stop tasting her. He explored every little nook and cranny of her mouth, touched and teased every part of it with his tongue, and all while she speared the fingers of one hand through his hair and slid her other hand down into the back pocket of his jeans. She raked her nails against his scalp, eliciting a strangled groan from him as his hips jerked against hers, the sudden, sharp buck nearly toppling her over onto her back right there on the cool, metal surface of the worktable. She moaned in response, using her calves to goad him into rocking his hips against her again even as her hand found its way out of his back pocket and up underneath his shirt to slowly rake her nails down his spine.

Don tipped his head back then, his lips parting from hers as a strained growl escaped him, his back bowing beneath the blossoming sensation of pleasure as it mixed with the pain.

“Fuck!” he cursed under his breath.

He had no idea that it could be like this, that it could feel this damn good. And now that she had started it, he didn’t want it to end.

_“God,_ you make me so fucking wet…” she moaned, her breath hot on his ear as she used her calves to guide his hips into hers once more, arching up off of the worktable to meet him, “The noises you make for me… They’re so fucking sexy, Donnie…”

His mouth found hers and he groaned into it as his large hands slowly navigated their way up her naked torso, skimming slowly up her sides until they settled over her ribs, his thumbs lightly brushing against the bottom of her small, pale breasts, ghosting over the skin there.

Her breath hitched then, her fingers tightening around his short, blonde hair, and she whimpered, arching her chest out towards him in a blatant invitation. And Don didn’t hesitate, lowering his head to capture one puckering peak between his lips, wrapping them around the rosy peak and lashing his tongue over it.

Laney watched with wonder, her pale blue eyes darkening as her desire for this man increased tenfold. She moaned, her nails raking over his scalp and digging into his back, halfway down his spine, to ensure that he remained rooted firmly in place. But Don had no desire to leave, those stormy, blue eyes locked on her face as he alternated between suckling on her and lashing his tongue over the puckered, pink peak between his lips. Her skin tingled where he touched it – at her breast, where his lips were wrapped around her nipple and his tongue toyed with her, at her opposite breast, where one of his large hands had molded to the soft, yielding flesh beneath it, his fingers tugging and tweaking at her hardening nipple, and at her opposite hip, where his other large hand was wrapped tightly around her, the very presence of his hand heating her skin and making every nerve ending in the near vicinity come alive.

“Don…” she whimpered, her back arching to press herself more insistently against his greedy mouth, eager for more and seeming to know just how to ask for it.

Don’s lips twitched at one corner and she knew that he was more than a little pleased with his ability to reduce her to begging.

That prompted her to tug sharply at his short hair, coaxing a low, throaty groan from him, his pupils dilating even further until she could hardly see the blue surrounding them. His response was to deal her nipple a little nip in retaliation, drawing a needy whine from her.

Don was surprised when the woman in his arms shoved firmly against his chest, prompting him to ease his mouth away from her breast and gaze down at her with furrowed brows.

“What’s the matter?” he started to ask, “Did you not like –,”

But she cut him off, her hands finding the hem of his wife beater and promptly yanking it up the length of his body. Don didn’t hesitate to lift both arms, though he hated losing the silky feeling of her skin beneath them, so that she could remove it. It hit the floor, landing who knows where, and he was just preparing to lean back in and kiss her when she struck, catching him off guard as she darted forward to press those soft, warm lips to his abs, those pale, blue eyes watching him as she slowly made her way up the line that separated the right side of his abdominal muscles from the left. She worked her way up towards his chest, flicking her tongue over his skin here, nipping there, pausing to deal a kiss there.

She found her way to his nipple, capturing the little peak between her teeth and tugging lightly at it. Don hissed through his teeth, his hands clenching into fists at his sides as his head lolled back.

“Fuck!” he swore sharply, feeling his cock twitch in his jeans.

She purred her approval, chasing the sting with a slow swirl of her tongue over the sensitive skin between her lips.

When Don finally brought his gaze down to meet hers, he found a self-satisfied little smirk curling at her lips as she slowly eased back from him, both of her small hands pressed to his abs.

“You’re trouble,” he accused her.

“Oh?” she inquired, her lips twitching as she fought back a smile.

“In _every_ sense of the word,” he elaborated.

“Baby, I’m the _best_ kind of trouble,” she purred, curling her fingers to rake her nails down his abdomen and leaving little red streaks in her wake.

He growled, his head falling back and his eyes squeezing shut as the pain laced with the pleasure. Every muscle she touched jumped and flexed beneath her nails, his back bowing as his body both praised her efforts and pleaded for more.

“Fucking right…” he growled.

He felt those deft fingers scratching along the sparse trail of dark blonde hair that led down to the waistband of his jeans, disappearing beneath it. He groaned, his hips jerking, when she reached her destination, her fingers wrapping around his belt. She set right in on unfastening it and tugging it loose from his belt loops. Then she dropped it, unceremoniously, to the floor, where it landed with a metallic _CLINK_ when it hit the concrete.

Next, she was pulling the button at the top of his jeans loose, finding the zipper that had been tucked up underneath it and tugging it down the track. The motion was agonizingly slow, at least it seemed to be as far as Don was concerned. Wanting to speed the process along, Don’s hands moved down to help, shoving his jeans and boxer briefs both down past his hips at the same time. His cock sprung free, and he caught Laney sinking her teeth into her bottom lip as she eyed him. He watched as she pressed her thighs together tightly. His brows furrowed at that.

Was she scared? Did she think that he was too big, that he wouldn’t fit inside of her?

“Laney, we don’t have to,” he told her, his hands reaching back down to gather up both his jeans and his boxer briefs beneath them and preparing to tug them back up.

“No, no!” she cried, her words halting his actions even as her hands flew out to grasp his, stilling them, “I want to.”

“But you seemed a little… scared?” he said, the words coming out as more of a question than a statement.

If he was honest, he didn’t know what, exactly, had caused her reaction.

But she cocked her head at him, her dark brows furrowing in confusion.

“What?” she questioned.

He wasn’t mistaken. He knew that he’d seen her bite her lip and press her thighs together. Surely, that meant _something._

“I saw you…” he insisted, faltering for a moment as he tried to figure out how to put his thoughts into words, “You bit your lip and you… you squeezed your thighs shut.”

She laughed then and his brows furrowed even further.

“Don, I’m not scared,” she assured him, her hands finding the open front of his jeans and using it to tug him towards her, “I was _excited.”_

“But –,” he started to protest before she cut him off, shaking her head and bringing one hand up to press a finger to his lips as she told him, “I bit my lip because I liked what I saw when I got a peek at your cock. And why wouldn’t I? It’s long and hard and thick. I didn’t clamp my thighs together because I was scared of the idea of having it inside of me. Seeing you naked _aroused_ me, Don. The muscles inside of me, down here…”

She reached down with one hand to take one of his large hands in hers and guide it down between her thighs, to the crotch of her shorts.

“They clenched tight because I wanted to feel you _inside_ of me,” she informed him, watching as his brows shot up his forehead, “And _that_ is why my thighs squeezed shut.”

Don couldn’t tear his eyes off of his grease-stained hand as it rested over the front of her short, gray, cotton shorts. He couldn’t pull his eyes from the stain that he was leaving behind on them. That thought prompted his gaze further north, to the black smudges that he had left all over her soft, pale skin, dark, black streaks trailing up her sides and covering her breasts.

“Shit, I’m sorry!” he was quick to apologize, “You’re _covered_ in grease –,”

“Does it look like I care?” she asked him, her lips twitching as she fought back a smile.

His brows furrowed at that. He supposed not.

“I guess not,” he finally answered.

“Don, stop your worrying and get over here,” she demanded, giving a backward jerk of her head to indicate that she wanted him to come closer, “As long as we don’t get grease inside of my hooha, we’re fine.”

He couldn’t fight the smile that curled at his lips then.

She was a bossy little thing, and he just so happened to like it. But he’d never tell the boys that or they’d never stop giving him shit about it.

Don felt her small hands come up to find his sides, grasping at him and tugging him right where she wanted him, positioning his lean hips between her thighs and bringing her legs up to frame him with her thighs, which she used to lock him in place, ensuring that he wouldn’t try to move any time soon. Don chuckled at that, shaking his head at her, but that laughter caught in his throat as he felt her hands slowly roam around to the front of his body, skimming up over his washboard abs and curling over his chest to rake her nails down over his chest. Her nails caught on the puckered peaks of his nipples and he growled, narrowing his eyes at her slightly even as his cock bobbed against his stomach, demanding attention.

It was Laney’s turn to giggle then, her eyes filling with mischief as she let one hand leave his chest. That was all the warning he got before her clean hand was wrapping around his cock, her grip firm as she slowly worked her fist up the length of him, from root to tip. The low growl that escaped him was a primal sound, rumbling up from somewhere deep within him. He didn’t even recognize the sounds that escaped him as she worked her fist along his shaft, first downward, then back up again, teasing her thumb around the head of his dick before stroking him once more. Her other hand skimmed back up his body, skirting up over the chiseled lines of his abs and ghosting along his side before it found its way around to his back. When her hand found its destination, she raked her nails down his spine.

His hips jerked violently, a strangled groan spilling from between tightly clenched teeth and the muscle in his jaw ticking as her small hands wreaked havoc on his self-control. The hand she had wrapped around his cock gave him a squeeze, not tight enough to cause pain but just tight enough to let him know that she was in charge. The sound that left him then was almost a whine, a pathetic, needy noise that had him blushing in shame as she gazed up at him from under her long, dark lashes.

“Relax, baby…” she purred, “Just enjoy it.”

Don couldn’t help but let his eyes roam down to follow the motions of her hand, his blue eyes dark and heavy-lidded as he watched her clean hand slide up and down the length of his shaft. She worked the pad of her thumb over the little slit at the tip and he bucked his hips, giving a deep groan. She smiled up at him, that sly, crooked little grin, and began to pump him in earnest then. He whined, his hips arching towards her touch as he felt what he could only describe as an electrical current slowly working its way up his thighs, towards his spine.

“Laney…” he warned, “If you want this to last, you’ve gotta stop.”

Her dark brows furrowed at that and she opened her mouth to protest, but he leaned down, crushing his lips to hers to silence her and using his hands to ease hers away from him. His large hands found her hips, locating the waistband of her shorts, and he yanked. Laney voiced a startled gasp of surprise as the material ripped at the seams, rendering it useless. All that stood between him and her now was a lacy little pale blue thong. His head spun at the realization that she’d been wearing it all morning while she’d been at the gym, training some of his fellow fighters. He couldn’t fucking _believe_ that she’d wear something like that under her clothes in a gym _full_ of men! God, if they only _knew!_ They’d have a fucking _field_ day with that!

And now, well, now all he’d be able to see when he saw her at the gym was Laney perched here on the worktable in her garage, completely fucking naked for him, save for that lacy little thong. But he loved the color on her. It matched her eyes. But, if he was honest, he thought it would look _much_ better on the floor.

She narrowed her eyes at him when his hands found the thin straps that held the garment up on her hips, warning, “Don, don’t you _dare –,”_

But she never got a chance to finish that sentence. With a loud _RRRIIIIIP,_ the lace was rendered useless. Laney shot him a fierce glare, but Don paid it no mind. Instead, he tugged her right to the edge of the worktable. His gaze darted down to help ensure that he was lined up with her properly before he gave one long, slow thrust of his powerful hip, watching as his cock slowly disappeared inside of her warm, wet depths.

_God,_ she was fucking wet… and _hot_ … and so fucking _tight._ And that thought alone sent his arousal soaring to a whole new level as he realized that, if she was _that_ fucking tight around him, if she fit him like a glove, he _had_ to be bigger than Wick in that department. And that knowledge only helped to further stroke his ego.

He didn’t know how to describe the sound that escaped him as he pushed himself deep inside of her, slowly sinking in, one inch at a time, until he finally bottomed out, but the closest thing he could think of was a needy whine. He rested his forehead against hers, his intense, stormy blue gaze locking on her face as he searched her features for any sign of pain or discomfort. Her eyes were shut, her mouth hanging open, but no sound escaped her, not even a squeak. Her inner walls gripped him tight, fluttering slightly around his cock, and every muscle in his body was taut, rigid, from restraining himself. Every _fiber_ of his body demanded that he move, that he do something, _anything_ to relieve the pressure building up in his balls.

But he wanted to make sure that she was all right first.

“Laney…?” he asked, bringing one hand up to gently cradle the side of her face and leaving a black smudge on her creamy skin, “Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?”

“Move…” she whispered, her eyelashes fluttering to reveal those blue eyes nearly completely consumed by her dilated pupils, “I need you to move… Please…”

“In or out?” he inquired, trying to find out if she wanted him to pull out or continue.

He knew that he would stop, if that was what she wanted him to do. He would do it, even if it fucking killed him. He just prayed to God that that wasn’t what she wanted.

“I need you…” she whimpered, her mouth finding the corner of his and pressing a small kiss there, “I need you… to fuck me…”

And that was all it took.

With a nod, Don’s hips surged forward, pushing that last inch inside of her until he nudged at something inside of her, coaxing a sharp whine from his lover.

“Laney?” he inquired, his whole body shuddering with the effort it took to hold himself still, “Laney, talk to me. Did I hurt you?”

“No!” she cried, shaking her head hard, her hands clutching at his sides, “Don’t stop!”

She couldn’t believe it. He’d hit her fucking cervix! And, while it brought a slight burst of pain, it was quickly and easily overwhelmed by the sharp wave of pleasure that joined it.

“Move!” she begged, and Don nodded, doing as he was told.

He eased his hips back slowly before driving back into her at an equally languid pace, allowing her to feel each and every inch of him as he slid inside of her. He drove in until the broad head of his cock nudged at the wall of her cervix again, coaxing a strained moan from her.

“Again!” she demanded, and Don complied.

With each thrust of his hips, he gained both speed and intensity, his breath escaping him in low grunts and short, shallow pants as he worked to drive her towards that state of bliss that was as close to fucking flying as she would ever get. She felt his hips driving into hers, his hands gripping her hips tight, leaving stubborn, black smudges all over her skin. She felt the broad head of his cock thumping against the lining of her cervix, tearing loud, desperate moans from her throat. Her hands found his back, her fingers curling and her nails clawing at him, leaving angry, red marks in their wake. She felt his back bow beneath the pleasure and pain, his head lolling back and his eyes drifting shut as he rutted against her, frantically chasing down what she could only assume would probably be his first orgasm with a woman.

The position craned his neck back and presented her with an image she would never forget. Sweat dripped from his temples, streaking down his face as his mouth hung open, his eyes squeezed shut and his head tipped towards the ceiling as he voiced a deep, rumbling groan. Beads of sweat trailed down the line of his neck, glistening over the cords of muscle there, and she couldn’t resist leaning in to lap them up with her tongue, her teeth factoring into the equation as she dealt a sharp little nip here, the press of her lips there, the swirl of her tongue there. His chest was slick with sweat, the muscles of his abdomen flexing and rippling with every thrust of his powerful hips. Those lean hips were driving her towards madness, the chiseled lines becoming even more prominent with every inward snap and outward pull. His biceps bulged, the veins in his large hands standing out as he gripped her tight. His hands slid down and around to her ass, cupping her cheeks and using them to push her against him, to pull her away from him. It was fucking maddening, every inch of his delicious body working to give her pleasure, working to build her up to that peak so that he could push her off of it.

Don was in fucking heaven. Never had he known a feeling quite like this. He brought his head down, burying it in the crook of her neck and groaning into the pale skin there. He mouthed at her neck, pressing hot, wet, clumsy kisses to her heated skin. He could taste the sweat dripping down her body, feel her walls gripping him so tight, feel her juices slicking the way for him to enter her harder, faster, with every thrust. The sounds of her loud, breathy moans were driving him fucking insane. He wanted to talk so badly, wanted to tell her how she made him feel, what she did to him, how good she felt around him. But all coherent thought had gone out the fucking window as soon as he had slid inside of her. All that was left now was grasping, moving, groaning, desperately seeking release from the tension that was building up inside of him. All that was left now was _feeling._

He felt her sink those sharp little nails into his shoulders, no doubt leaving little red crescents in his skin. Her thighs began to tremble around him, gripping his hips tight as her calves tried to push him impossibly closer, egging him on with every inward thrust of his hips. He breathed in her scent, apples and daises flooding his senses as he worked his hips harder, desperate to drive her to that edge as he felt that crackling sensation returning to his thighs, working up the length of them towards the base of his spine.

Laney moaned, her hips arching insistently as she frantically sought that release that only he could give to her. One of her hands roamed up to fist in his hair, her nails scraping against his scalp as she gave a sharp yank, her other hand sliding down his back to dig her nails into the firm muscles of his ass, goading him on. His response was swift and sudden. His back bowed and his hips crashed into hers, causing the head of his cock to ram into her cervix, which, in term, triggered a ripple of shudders to wrack her body. Her inner walls fluttered, spasming around his length as the shivers raced down her spine, her fingers curling, grasping, clinging to him as she practically wailed with her release.

And Don wasn’t far behind her, his hips bucking violently until that crackling sensation reached the base of his skull and he was driving himself deep inside of her and holding her tight against him. His cock pulsed as he released inside of her, a broken shout escaping him as he came harder than he’d ever imagined was possible. She felt the ripples traveling down his spine, tracing them with her fingertips as his big body shuddered and his hips slowly rocked as he came down from his high until he stopped moving altogether and slumped against her, groaning into her neck.

Laney had expected it to be over then. Wick was never one for cuddling and the few guys that she’d been with in college hadn’t been either. They’d gotten what they’d wanted, and they’d split. But Don didn’t try to pull away from her. He didn’t start searching for his clothes. He didn’t make hurried excuses and make a hasty exit.

Instead, he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her close, molding his large body to her smaller one and refusing to let her go. He buried his face in her long, black hair, breathing her in deep as his heartrate slowed and he gradually regained his breathing. And, while the gesture shocked her speechless, she definitely wasn’t complaining.

Laney couldn’t stop the smile that curled at her lips. She reveled in the moment, letting her eyes drift shut as she let this man hold her, let him coddle her. She felt his lips then, dancing over her skin, pressing little kisses anywhere his mouth could reach, blazing a trail up from her shoulder, along the column of her neck, until he finally met the corner of her jaw, and then her mouth. He brought both hands up then, gently cradling her face in large hands as he delved his tongue into her mouth.

Laney found herself hoping that he would stay, that he would keep coming back to her. While she knew that it was dangerous territory – and while she would never admit it – she needed this. She craved this affection, needed it more than that next breath. All her life, she’d been starved of affection. Her father hadn’t known how to show it, hadn’t known how to raise his two daughters in a man’s world. But he’d managed to the best of his abilities. He had seen to it that they had everything that they needed – and most of the things that they’d wanted. Her brothers had never really been affectionate either, modeling their behavior after their father and the other fighters that he had trained with, the countless friends that he had had. There had been no mother figure in their lives, not after Jaime had turned 2. Laney had just been 3 years old when their mother had walked out on them. She hadn’t understood at the time and, now, she didn’t care what the reason behind her mother’s absence was. All that mattered was that she wasn’t there.

So, Laney would take this affection from this man. She would accept it, revel in it even. And she would offer it in return in the hopes that he would keep coming back.

She was dragged out of her thoughts when he brought his forehead down to rest it against hers, a small smile tugging at his lips as he told her, “We need to get you all cleaned up.”

Her brows rose as his use of the term “we”, but she was quick to nod and agree, “I could use a nice, hot shower. Would you care to join me?”

“Oh, I’d planned on it,” was his response, his lips twitching at one corner just before the smile stretched even wider across his face, “It’s the least I can do after getting you all dirty.”

Laney smiled at that. But that smile turned upside down as she watched Don reach down with both large hands to tug both his boxer briefs and his jeans up at the same time. She wasn’t done ogling his hot body yet. And, when he bent to retrieve his wife beater from the concrete floor of her garage, Laney was quick to grab it, holding it prisoner in a tight grip.

Don watched her with amusement dancing in those stormy, blue eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching as he fought back a smile.

“You just gonna hold it hostage then?” he asked her.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” she informed him.

“May I ask why?” he inquired.

“Because I’m not done with you yet,” she retorted.

“Who said _I_ was done with _you?”_ he countered, cocking one blonde brow at her.

Her brows rose at that. He made a good point. But still, she didn’t want him covering those washboard abs up just yet. And, if she was honest, she didn’t like the fact that he’d covered up the new object of her desire either.

So, she decided to cover up as much as she could with her panties and her shorts torn to shreds. She gave him a crooked little grin as she slipped her arms through and pulled the material down over her chest and stomach. The shirt was huge on her and there was no doubt that it would certainly look more like a dress than a shirt on her, but at least the important parts would be covered.

Don’s eyes narrowed at her and he reached for her, but Laney was too quick, sliding off of the worktable and sprinting for the back door of the garage, the one that would lead to the short sidewalk that ventured between her house and the garage.

“Laney…” he called after her, the warning made quite clear in his tone.

She giggled as he gave chase, his long legs quickly and easily eating up the distance that she’d gained during her little head start.

When she reached the door, she yanked it open, but Don had reached her then, his large hands finding her hips and grasping them as he spun her around. He pressed her back against the door, his tall, broad frame towering over hers. While Wick was only about four inches taller than her, Don probably had eight or nine inches on her.

Before she knew what he was doing, he was hoisting her up. His intent became quite clear to her halfway to her destination.

“Don, don’t you _dare_ –,” she started to protest.

But it was too late. She was already draped over one broad shoulder.

“Put me down,” she instructed, her tone firm.

He delivered a sharp _SMACK_ to her backside, jerking a surprised gasp from her throat.

“Don Connally!” she growled, turning in his grasp to glare at the back of his head.

“Elena Mathers,” he countered and, judging by the playful tone of his voice, she knew that he was smiling.

It was obvious that he was quite proud of the fact that he thought he had pulled one over on her. But Laney was never one to let herself be bested, not by _anyone._

She narrowed her eyes even further at the back of his head before she let herself go lax in his hold, making him think that he had won. She let him walk out the garage door and start for the house. But, once he had managed to find the spare key, the one that she had informed him was perched on top of the doorframe, and get the front door unlocked – but not before nosy old Ms. Rosemary Babbs had spied them standing there on her porch, both in a half-dressed disarray, and screeched at the indignity, prompting Laney to proudly lift her middle finger and smirk at the old bitty – Don had carried her into the house and closed the door behind them. She heard the click of the deadbolt first, then the quieter slide of the lock on the knob being turned. Apparently, he didn’t want any interruptions, not that she blamed him.

Once he had turned and started towards the hallway, assuming that it led to the bathroom there in her house, Laney struck, darting her head down to sink her teeth into the firm muscles of his back. Don cried out in surprise and disbelief and his grip on her faltered, if only for a moment, before he managed to regain it and catch her just in time before her face connected with the carpeted floor of her hallway.

“You sneaky little thing!” he accused, though she detected a slight hint of amusement in his voice.

“I told you to put me down,” she reminded him, “I gave you plenty of time to do so. But you refused to do it. Therefore, I took countermeasures.”

“You don’t fight fair,” he told her.

“Never said I did, now did I?” she questioned as he slowly hauled her back up over his shoulder and then let her slide down over the front of his body until she was on her dainty feet once again.

Don _still_ couldn’t believe that the little vixen had bitten him! Though why, exactly, he wasn’t sure. He should’ve seen it coming, really. He should’ve anticipated her finding some way to retaliate against him. And yet, when he’d felt those sharp little teeth sink into his flesh, it had sent a sharp and undeniable burst of pleasure shooting straight to his dick.

“You really are trouble,” he accused, though the corner of his mouth twitched as he fought back a smile.

“Well,” she said, turning her back to him and slowly making her way down the hall as she looked back at him over her shoulder, crooking one finger at him for him to follow her, “I’m not denying it.”

He chuckled at that.

She couldn’t deny it, even if she tried. That much was obvious.

“You gonna come wash me up like you promised?” she asked him, stopping once she’d reached the doorway of the bathroom and flipping the light on before she stole another glance at him over her shoulder.

_My immaculate dream  
Made of breath and skin  
I've been waiting for you  
Signed with a whole tattoo  
“Happy birthday to you”  
Was created for you_

He growled, quickening his pace, and it didn’t take him long to catch up to her, his long legs quickly eating up the distance that separated them.

She giggled as he entered the bathroom, catching her in his arms and doing an awkward little shuffle behind her to ensure that he didn’t have to remove his arms from around her slender waist or his mouth from its current trek up the side of her lovely neck.

_I can't help but keep from falling apart  
At the seams  
I cannot believe you're taking my heart  
To pieces_

To her credit, Laney purred, tilting her head to the side to offer him a better angle, allowing him more room to work with. He stole a peek down at her, finding that her eyes were closed, both of her hands wrapped around the arms that he had encircling her waist.

“Don…” she tried to protest, her attempts at trying to untangle herself from his arms both unconvincing and ineffective.

“I want you naked,” he growled, bringing his mouth right to her ear.

_Ohh, it might take a little time  
Might take a little crime  
To come undone_

He didn’t miss the shudder that raced down her spine as he held her close, molding himself against her back and grinding his growing erection against the small of her back. He teased the lobe of her ear with his tongue and teeth, and he was surprised to discover that it elicited a rather swift and strong response from her. The moan that escaped her was both loud and breathy, accompanied by a sudden arching of her ass against him.

Had he just discovered one of her erogenous zones?

_Now we'll try to stay blind  
To the hope and fear outside  
Hey child, stay wilder than the wind can blow me in  
To cry_

_  
Who do you need?  
Who do you love  
When you come undone?_

He decided to test that little theory, capturing her earlobe between his lips once more and sucking lightly at it. The gesture prompted a throaty moan from the raven-haired beauty in his arms. Her ass rocked back into him once more and, as he watched, stealing a peek down at the material of his grease-stained, once-white wife beater, her nipples hardened.

He brought one hand up, teasing the sensitive peak with gentle flicks of his thumb, his mouth working at her ear. His other hand slid down under the hem of her top, slipping beneath it so that he could place his hand over her stomach. His hand was so large that it nearly spanned the width of her slender stomach, from the bottom of her ribs, clear down to her hips. He slowly worked his thumb back and forth against the soft swell of the underside of her breast, just teasing her, the rough pad of his thumb barely ghosting over the sensitive skin there.

_Who do you need?  
Who do you love  
When you come undone?_

“Don…” she ground out from between her teeth.

That prompted a smile from him. He loved this, knowing just how much he could affect her, even with just the simplest touch. He lightly raked his teeth over her ear, and she danced beneath his hands, arching towards his touch and moaning right into his ear.

“Donnie, please…” she begged, that pert little ass arching back against him once more.

_Words  
Play me deja vu  
Like a radio tune  
I swear I’ve heard before_

Don finally relented, his hands sliding down to find the hem of her top and lifting it up over her head. He let the rough pads of his fingers skim along her skin, watching as goosebumps broke out on her skin and a series of shivers ran through her. He pressed kisses from her shoulder up to the corner of her jaw until he had to pull back so that he could work her top up over her head.

He let it fall to the floor, using one hand to brush her long, dark hair over one shoulder, his lips finding the curve of her shoulder. His lips parted, his tongue darting out to lap at her skin as he slowly worked his way up towards the curve of her neck. His hands found her hips, wrapping around the curve of them, and he eased his mouth back from her just far enough to turn her to face him. Then his lips descended on her once more, placing heated kisses along the corner of her jaw and over to her chin until he could find her lips with his.

_She'll  
Resist something real  
Or the magic I’m feeding  
Off your fingers_

Laney moaned into his mouth, her hands finding his sides and grasping at him, tugging at him. She wanted him, wanted to feel more of him, wanted to feel him pressed so close to her that she didn’t know where he ended and she began. She wanted this man with every _fiber_ of her being. She could feel her blood singing in her veins, her head spinning, her stomach fluttering in anticipation. She wanted it so bad that she could practically _taste_ it.

_No_ man had ever made her feel like this. Even Wick had never made her knees threaten to give out on her in the three months that the two of them had been fucking. But that’s all it was between them, just the sex. Still, the sex was good. Hell, it was _incredible,_ and she wasn’t ready to give that up. So, for the time being, she was keeping her mouth shut on the subject.

With Wick, the sex was raw, intense, purely primal. There were no emotions attached, no vulnerabilities that had to be shown or shared. They could joke and banter back and forth, but there was no need for deep conversations, no need for cuddling or coddling after the deed was done.

_  
I can't help but keep from falling apart  
At the seams  
I cannot believe you're taking my heart  
To pieces_

But this, this was _so_ very different. Everything about it was different. With Don, it was like he wore his heart out on his sleeve. He was open and honest, exposing the most vulnerable parts of himself to her. He didn’t hide anything from her, and he seemed to expect the same from her. It was in the way Don looked at her with those stormy, blue eyes, the way that he watched her as he touched her or fucked her, that let her know that he wanted nothing more than for her to be his, to _truly_ be his. It was in the slide of his hands over her body, so soft and gentle, despite the rough callouses on his hands, those fighter’s hands. It was in the press of his skin against hers, the way his large body molded against hers, around hers, like it was made just for her. It was in the way he fit inside of her, so snugly and perfectly, like he was _meant_ to be there. It was in the press of his lips, so insistent and hungry and yet they were always searching, wanting, waiting for her to respond in kind. It was in that desperate way that he grasped at her, clung to her, like he’d never wanted anything more. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this man was desperate to please her, desperate to be seen by her, desperate to be _wanted_ by her. He was _everything_ that she wanted and yet, she was afraid to let herself have it for fear that it might slip away, that he too would get bored with her and walk away, like everyone else had done.

_Lost  
In a self-filled sky  
Might make it alright  
To come undone_

Don was lost to this woman, this feisty, stubborn, take-no-shit woman who had fought her way through the walls that he’d fought so hard to build up around his heart after all the shit he’d been through as a kid. But she had not only shattered his defenses. She had also firmly rooted herself within the very heart of him. And he knew that, now that she was there, she was there to stay. He knew that she would not be moved, not today, not _ever._

_Now, we'll try to stay blind  
To the hope and fear outside  
Hey child, stay wilder than the wind can blow me in  
To cry_

_  
Who do you need?  
Who do you love  
When you come undone?_

He was dragged from his thoughts when he felt her nimble fingers tugging at the button of his jeans. She was quick to pop it loose and then attack the zipper, quickly and easily sliding it down the track. But Don reached down to catch her hands in his, stilling them as he found her pale blue eyes with his stormy blue ones.

“Laney, I want you to know that I don’t want you just for this…” he told her, “I don’t want you just for the sex…”

She just nodded, her eyes lowering down to the open front of his jeans once more.

But his large, grease-covered hands found her face, cradling it gently in his grasp so that he could raise her gaze to his once more.

“I _need_ you to know that you mean more to me than just a quick fuck,” he insisted.

_Who do you need?  
Who do you love  
When you come undone?_

Laney nodded once more, her pale eyes flitting over his face for a moment, taking him all in, before she nodded again and informed him, “I know, Donnie. I know.”

Her gaze faltered for a moment and she continued on to say, “I know I might just be… a plaything for him. But I know that it’s different with you. I know that you really want me, that you really _see_ me. And I don’t want to let that go.”

“Then don’t,” he replied, as if it was that simple, “But know that, now that I’ve had you, once will never be enough for me, Elena. I can’t just go back to being just friends. I can’t look at you now and not see your skin beneath my hands, your eyes closed in pleasure, your lips parted as you moan for me. I can’t let you go, Elena. I won’t.”

“Then don’t,” she retorted, her lips quirking at one corner as she relayed his words back to him.

Don smiled at that, a genuine smile, and she was relieved to know that she had put his mind at ease, that she had cleared the air between the two of them.

_I can’t help but keep from falling apart  
At the seams (Who do you need?)  
I cannot believe you're taking my heart (Who do you love?)  
To pieces_

“Now,” she hinted, “Can we proceed?”

“Yes,” he confirmed with a nod.

“Good,” she told him, “Because I want your cock inside of me again.”

Don groaned at that. God, how could she go from being so serious and deep to being so playful and shameless in the very next breath? Only Elena Mathers could pull a stunt like that and actually make it work. The woman was going to be the death of him. Of that, he was certain.

_I can't help but keep from falling apart_  
At the seams (Who do you love?)  
I cannot believe you're taking my heart

_When you come undone_

He shook his head at her, chuckling, and she shoved at the waistband of his jeans and boxer briefs at the same time, pushing them both down over his lean hips and over the curve of his ass until they reached his knees. They fell into a puddle around his ankles, and he was quick to kick off his gym shoes and yank off his socks before he stepped out of his pants and underwear.

When he stood back up, he found that Laney had left him, presenting him with a rather delicious display of the curve of her spine and the swell of her ass as she reached into the shower and turned on the shower head. He couldn’t resist sneaking up behind her, wrapping one long arm around her and trapping her back against the firm muscles of his abdomen.

A strangled gasp of surprise escaped her, but he pressed a kiss to her temple, rumbling quietly, “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

Then he was stepping into the shower behind her, smiling as he watched her turn to face him, the water cascading down over her long, dark hair, making her raven-colored locks look even darker as they became soaked through. He watched as the water sluiced down over her body, dripping off of her rosy nipples and trailing down between her small, perky breasts to the cute little dip of her navel. He watched as the droplets ran down between her thighs, to the short patch of dark curls that she kept neatly trimmed at the apex of her thighs. And what Don wanted most in that moment was to drop to his knees and worship her properly, to shower her with all of his affection, to show her that she had his utmost attention. But what they _needed_ most right now was to get those stubborn grease stains off of their skin. _Then,_ he could have his fun.

Don turned, his eyes scanning over the white sides of the shower before they landed on the little shelving unit that was on his end of the shower. He found a blue bottle of shower gel, reaching out to grab it. He smiled as he saw the label, Beautiful Day, scrawled in white letters with a picture of a green apple and a white daisy. He popped the top open, squeezing a generous amount out into one of his large hands, and set the bottle back on the shelf. The scent of apples and daises, the scent that Don had come to associate with Laney Mathers, filled the room, making his nostrils flare wildly as he tried to capture more of that aroma and commit it to memory.

When he turned to face her once more, he found Laney standing there, staring at him with her head tilted slightly to one side, a small smile curling at her lips as she watched him. She giggled as she watched him start working his hands together to lather the soap up, giving a backward jerk of his head to indicate to her that he wanted her to step closer.

“Come ‘ere,” he instructed.

She shook her head at him, her smile stretching even wider, but moved closer to him. He took his time lathering her all up, making sure to massage the soap into her soft skin as he worked on getting the stubborn, black smudges off of her pale skin. His long, slender fingers and large palms roamed over every silken inch of her skin. He started with her hands, since they were the dirtiest, working his way up the length of first one of her arms and then the other. He worked at her shoulders, and he was delighted to hear the little moan of appreciation she gave when he took the time to work out the knots that had formed in the muscles of her shoulders and her back. He slowly ran his hands down to her ass, kneading and squeezing at the ample curve of her cheeks. Then he was working his way down the back of her thighs and her calves, down to her delicate feet.

After that was done, he turned her around to let her back rinse off while he started lathering up her front. He started with her face, skimming his fingers gently over her cheeks and leaving a trail of soap suds down the length of her cute nose. She giggled at that, smiling up at him, and he found that her smile was infectious, coaxing his own lips up into a smile.

He worked his way down her neck and down to her chest, his large hands molding over the small globes of her breasts. He couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her then, coaxing a purr of approval out of her when he tightened his grip a little, squeezing her tighter. She arched her back, pressing herself more firmly against his hands, and Don grinned down at her, his hands skirting lower to soap up her stomach and her sides. He skipped over her hips and what lied between them, choosing instead to work his way from her dainty feet up her legs, taunting her, teasing her, until she was resting her hands on his broad shoulders, digging her nails into his skin in a firm warning.

Don gazed up at her, hearing her voice drop an octave as she scolded, “Don’t be a tease.”

He just grinned, his large hands slowly sliding up the inside of her thighs. His stormy, blue eyes left hers to steal a glance down to the lips that his fingertips had just discovered, gently grazing along them in whispering touches. He sank his teeth into his bottom lip, a groan slipping past his lips despite his best efforts, before returning his gaze to hers once more, watching as her pupils threatened to overtake the pale blue of her irises. She moaned, arching towards his hand, and Don took _great_ pride in knowing that _he_ had been the one to coax that sound from her.

Laney gazed down at him, finding those blue eyes darkening, glistening like midnight sapphires as he gazed up at her, trailing his fingertips slowly up and down the length of her lower lips. Did he know that he was driving her fucking crazy? He had to know. _Surely,_ he did. Because if he didn’t stop teasing her soon, she was going to take matters into her own hands.

“Don,” she practically moaned, arching towards his touch once more, “The wall…”

She gestured with a nod of her head towards the other end of the shower, and Don’s brows furrowed in confusion, his blue eyes searching hers.

“If you’re even _half_ as good with your fingers or your mouth as you are with your cock, I’m gonna need some support so I don’t slip and fall on my ass,” she explained.

“Right!” he exclaimed, realization dawning on him, “Shit, I’m sorry! I didn’t even think –,”

“It’s fine,” she told him, shaking her head, “It’s just a precaution, in case my legs do give out.”

And the wicked little grin that curled at his lips told her that he’d just made that his mission.

He nodded to her, pushing himself to his feet so that he towered over her once more, and set his hands on her hips to maneuver her around him until she was standing with her back to the shower wall.

Don knelt down in front of her once more, dropping to his knees right there in the shower. But this time, he reached up to hook one large hand behind her knee, lifting her leg up and draping it over his broad shoulder, opening her to him. His eyes slowly roamed down the length of her body, taking her all in, until they found their destination. His eyes grew heavy-lidded then, his pupils dilating and his irises growing even darker as he stared at the most intimate part of her. Here he was, 23 years old, and he’d never even seen a woman like this. And yet, something told him that no other woman could ever come _close_ to comparing to his Laney.

He let his eyes find hers once more and Laney found that she couldn’t breathe. She just stared down at him, her breath caught in her throat as he gazed up at her with that hungry look in his eyes, like he wanted to _devour_ her. His eyes were nearly black now, his eyelids heavy with desire. There was no denying that this man wanted her, maybe even more than she wanted him – though, at this very moment, she found that hard to believe.

She felt him stroke his fingertips along the length of her opening then, first upwards, then back down. His motions were slow, his lips slightly parted and his eyes riveted to hers as he watched her, trying to gauge her reactions to his touch. Laney found that she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his face. She watched as he sunk his teeth into his bottom lip, his pupils blown wide as he skimmed his fingertips through her wetness, spreading it along the length of her slit.

Laney moaned, long and throaty, and the look that filled his eyes stoked a fire inside of her. The way he looked at her, it was like she was something precious to him, like she was some sort of goddess or some other deity and he was worshipping her body. She found awe in his gaze. Surprise and wonder and, above all, desire filled those stormy, blue eyes, and she just couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from his.

She felt his fingertips glide upwards once more and she found herself mewling, her hands flying down to find purchase on his strong shoulders as his fingertips ghosted over that sensitive little bundle of nerves that was located just above her slit. She whined, her hips grinding towards his hand in encouragement, and Don’s brows furrowed, but he repeated the motions once more, slowly swirling his fingertips in a circle over her clit.

“Yes!” she praised, “Please!”

Don grinned at that, a look of pure triumph filling those blue eyes as a bright smile stole over his face, and he nodded to her, using his thumb this time to swirl over the sensitive little nub, pressing down just slightly as he did so.

Laney went wild beneath his touch, arching her back and rocking her hips as she eagerly sought out more of that friction. Don watched, completely enthralled in her, completely amazed by her, as he worked his thumb over her, moving his fingers down to her slit once more.

He prodded at her entrance with first one finger, waiting for some sort of sign that this was okay, before she gave a frantic nod, panting, “Yes! Inside!”

And Don was quick to comply, slowly working one finger inside of her warm, wet depths. He slid his finger in until the palm of his hand was pressed against her, cupping her in the palm of his hand. She moaned, grinding herself against his hand, and he curled his finger inside of her, stroking along her upper wall in an attempt to stimulate her further. He discovered a spongy little patch located along her upper wall, noticing that it felt rough to the touch, and his brows furrowed. But when he worked his finger over it, his curiosity getting the best of him, he was surprised by the loud whine that she voiced and the strong buck that her hips gave against him.

“I’m sorry!” he was quick to apologize, “Did I hurt you?”

“No, no!” she cried, “It’s… It’s very sensitive…”

His brows furrowed and he nudged at the spot with his finger once more, pressing a little more firmly against it this time. She whined once more, arching her back and pressing herself into his hand, goading him on. So, he tapped at that little spot inside of her, only to be rewarded by a breathy moan that escaped her. Don grinned up at her, doing his best to keep his rhythm with both his thumb on her clit and his finger inside of her. He gave long, slow pumps inside of her with his middle finger, making sure that she was used to him first before adding his index finger.

Laney went wild, bucking her hips and practically fucking herself on his fingers. But Don was curious. He wanted to see what she tasted like. So, despite her very verbal protests, Don eased his fingers back from her, bringing them up to his lips. He slid the long, slender digits inside of his mouth and curled his tongue around them, sucking at them. The groan that escaped him was low and primal, sounding foreign even to his own ears.

Laney knew then, from the look in his eyes, that she was in trouble. And this thought was only further solidified when he pulled his fingers back out of his mouth and leaned in closer to her, using one large hand to grasp her ass, holding her firmly in place as he leaned in closer and buried his face between her thighs. She whined, feeling the stubble on his cheeks rasping against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. One of her hands left his shoulder to thread her fingers through his short, dirty blonde hair, her fingers curling and tugging at the short, thick strands. She threw her head back, smacking it on the wall of the shower, as his tongue found her slit, slowly sliding up it in an experimental glide.

She couldn’t help but rock her hips against his face, her body desperately seeking more and seeming to know just how to ask for it. She knew that he had never done this before, but that didn’t change the fact that he was driving her fucking crazy. Hell, she didn’t even recognize the sound that escaped her when she felt his lips wrap around her clit! It was loud and high-pitched and breathy, half desperation and half relief. She caught his eyes fill with panic for a second, thinking that he had hurt her, but she was quick to squash that notion as she yanked at his hair, her nails raking over his scalp and digging into his shoulder as she ground hard against his face.

Don groaned against her, the sound sending vibrations traveling through her sensitive, heated flesh, shooting straight to her core. She felt her inner muscles clench hard around his fingers in response as he slid two of them inside of her. His eyes widened for a moment in surprise, a question hanging in the air between them, and Laney shook her head. No. She wasn’t quite ready to cum yet. But if he kept this up, she certainly would.

Don nodded, lashing his tongue over the sensitive little bundle of nerves trapped between his lips. He suckled at her, working his fingers deep inside of her. His pace increased as he felt her trying to quicken the motions of her hips. He growled around her clit as he felt her nails scraping against his scalp once more, the pleasure mixing with the pain and causing his dick to twitch as it continued to harden between his thighs. All of his blood was rushing south, filling the part of his anatomy that wanted her most. But Don pushed his own need aside, sucking harder against her clit and working his fingers faster, deeper inside of her slick, warm depths. God, she was so fucking wet, so hot. And he knew just how tight she was, how good she felt wrapped around him as he fucked her.

“Don!” she shouted, the sound echoing in the shower, “Don, please! I’m almost…”

She trailed off into a whine, her hips crashing into him as both of her hands found his shoulders and her nails sunk into his skin as she searched for purchase.

“I need…” she whined.

What? What did she need? Whatever it was, he would give it to her.

His blue eyes searched her face, roaming over every inch of it for any indication as to what it was that she wanted from him. When he couldn’t find it, he reached up to slide her thigh off of his shoulder and pushed himself up onto his feet, his large hands finding her hips even as she whimpered in protest. But her eyes lit up when his large hands slid down and around to fill themselves with the generous swell of her ass, lifting her up off of the floor and pressing her back against the shower wall.

“Yes!” she cried, nodding energetically as she realized what it was that he planned to do, “Don, please!”

He knew that he could never deny her. Not when she asked so nicely. Not when she wrapped those strong thighs around him and squeezed his hips, tugging him right up against her.

He released her with one hand just long enough to reach between them, finding his cock. He wrapped his hand around his shaft, giving it a couple slow strokes and groaning in anticipation of feeling her tight walls hugging him like a glove. He heard her whine and let his eyes flutter open, not even having realized that they had closed. His gaze found hers and he found her staring down at his hand, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. So, she liked to watch him touch himself? He didn’t know that women were into that kind of thing. But, if he thought about it, it would probably drive him mad to watch her touch _herself._ So, he supposed it made sense.

Don waited, his hand stilling on his cock, until her eyes slowly roamed back up to meet his, then he lined the broad head of his cock up with her entrance and, with one hard thrust of his powerful hips, he was sheathed inside of her.

Laney moaned, throwing her head back and clawing at his back as she struggled to find something to hold onto. Her inner muscles fluttered around him, happy but surprised at the sudden intrusion, and Don growled, burying his face in the side of her neck. His fingers dug into the curves of her ass, pulling her right up against him until he could go no further. Then he slid his hands down to the underside of her thighs and tugged them further apart, pushing yet another inch inside of her, and Laney wailed, feeling the head of his cock prod at her cervix.

“Fuck!” she cursed, “Please! Please, Donnie, I need it!”

But, despite the fact that she had anticipated this round being another quick, hard, desperate fuck, it was anything but that. Instead, he took his time, thrusting slowly against her, making sure that she felt every _inch_ of his hot, hard length as it slowly slid in and out of her, stretching her. He arched upwards, angling his hips slightly until he found the perfect spot inside of her and setting a slow, steady pace that ensured that he maximized her pleasure. His movements were deliberate and precise, his pelvis grinding against her clit with every inward glide of his hips, and soon, he had picked up a steady _GLIDE, TAP, GRIND_ pattern that literally drove Laney up the wall. With every thrust of his powerful hips, Laney found herself sliding further up the shower wall, only for him to use his grip on her thighs to pull her right back down against him.

He groaned and growled into the side of her neck, his breath hot against her skin, his fingers digging into her thighs. For a moment, she forgot that he had been a virgin until their little tryst out in her garage. But _fuck_ if he wasn’t a quick learner! And, with every move, with every calculated and choreographed motion of his large body, Laney found herself being driven closer and closer to that edge.

It wasn’t long before he was panting into her neck, “Christ! Laney, I need you to cum.”

Her dark brows rose at that. He hadn’t said that he _wanted_ her to. No. He’d said that he _needed_ her to. And it was fucking _hot!_

“I’m almost –,” she started to tell him, feeling her toes curl and that cold, tingling sensation starting in her thighs.

“Baby, please,” Don begged, easing his head from its hiding place against her neck so that he could gaze down at her.

She frowned at that. The man looked downright desperate.

“Don, what –,” she started to ask.

But he cut her off, insisting, “Laney, I need you to, or I’m gonna cum first.”

She laughed then, shaking her head at him and replying, “Don, I don’t care who cums first, just as long as we _both_ cum.”

His brows furrowed at her revelation. But his confusion was quickly replaced with a look of fierce determination and Laney knew then that she was in for one _hell_ of a ride.

Within seconds, those slow, calculated thrusts turned into quick, hard jerks of his hips. His pelvis crashed against hers, rubbing and pressing against her clit as it was caught in the crossfire. He pounded inside of her, causing her to throw her head back as her back collided with the wall and the head of his cock prodded firmly against the wall of her cervix. She cried out, pleasure shooting through her body and the cold, tingling sensation spreading rapidly up her thighs and down her stomach, towards the apex between them. She felt his teeth nibbling at her bottom lip before he caught it between them and gave it a sharp little nip.

Laney gave a desperate, needy whine, feeling her toes curl tightly and her nails scour his back as her inner walls started quaking around him, every muscle in her body going rigid, save for the random, sharp bucks of her hips as she reached that peak. Stars danced before her eyes, her breath catching in her throat and her mouth hanging open in a silent scream as she came all over his cock.

And Don wasn’t far behind, throwing his head back and giving a brutal roar as he lost all rhythm and his hips jerked frantically against hers, spilling himself inside of her in a hot, wet rush. He thrust slowly against her as her walls milked the last few drops out of him. Then he slumped against her, burying his face in the crook of her neck once more as he panted against her slick skin.

He was drug back to his senses as the sound of her laughter filled the shower.

He jerked his head back then, gazing down at her with furrowed brows as he asked, “What’s so funny?”

“You,” she answered.

His brows furrowed even further, and he opened his mouth to demand just what, exactly, about him was so funny, but she beat him to the punch, elaborating, “Don, you are a walking contradiction. You walk around with this ‘tough as nails’ attitude, but you are so kind and courteous and compassionate underneath it all. You get into the octagon and you beat the shit out of your opponents but, when you touch me, your hands are so gentle, your touch so tender. You’re not afraid to handle any problem that crops up there at the bar, but you’re scared to death that you’re going to lose me if you let go of me for even a _second._ You never hesitate in the ring, but you’re _terrified_ to talk to a woman. It just… It just doesn’t make any sense and yet, for some reason, it all makes _perfect_ sense. Like I said, you’re a walking contradiction.”

Don chuckled at that, nodding his head, and agreed, “I suppose so.”

“I can honestly say…” she sighed, curling her toes and humming her approval as she felt a little bolt of pleasure zing through her, heading right for her core, which clenched around him reflexively, “I have _never_ been fucked like that.”

Don’s brows hiked up his forehead. Surely, Wick had fucked her better than that. Hell, that was only the second time Don had ever had sex!

But, judging by the contented sigh she gave and the lazy smile on her face, her words were true. And Don took _great_ pride in that knowledge.

“Well…” she announced, slowly untangling herself from him and letting him slide her down the length of his body until she was on her feet once more, “I suppose we should wash _you_ up now.”

Don couldn’t help but laugh at that. He supposed she was right. But he had a feeling that she planned to get even with him for getting distracted during the process of washing her up. And, judging by the mischievous glint in those pale blue eyes, he knew that he was right.

** Lyrics from the Songs: **

_Wildest Dreams_ by Taylor Swift

_Come Undone_ by My Darkest Days (Cover of a Duran Duran song – but better than the original, in my opinion)


End file.
